Cerro Gordo County, IA Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf
Cerro Gordo County, IA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Cerro Gordo County's roofs are built to hold 24.5 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 53.9 inches of fresh, light snow, 19.6 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4.9 inches of solid ice - snow that heavy is rare here but ice from a freeze-thaw cycle adds up far faster than the depth suggests. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.
Cerro Gordo County at a glance
- Design roof snow load24.5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
- National rank#326 of 2,758
- Iowa rank#10 of 99
- Population42,493
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal44.4 in.
- FIPS19033
Cerro Gordo County by the numbers
Nationally that's #326 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 12%; within Iowa alone, Cerro Gordo County ranks #10 of 99. Iowa counties average 21.7 psf; Cerro Gordo County runs 2.8 psf higher than that.
Cerro Gordo County, FIPS 19033, is home to 42,493 people near 43.075°N 93.251°W. Its 35 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 24.5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Cerro Gordo County's snowfall, most winters
44.4 in. a year: that's Cerro Gordo County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MASON CITY MUNI AP, IA US (6.7 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Cerro Gordo County's number
Treat the Cerro Gordo County figure as a starting point, not a final answer: it assumes standard occupancy, a heated structure and a moderately sheltered site, per ASCE 7-22's own defaults. Exposed terrain, an unheated building or a steeper roof all shift the real number.
For a real application, skip the county number and go straight to the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool - enter your coordinates and it returns a site-specific figure a plan reviewer will recognize. (How this figure is calculated.)